SQL Server – Sysprep Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 Hyper V image

SQL Server – Sysprep Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 Hyper V image

Sometime back, I had blogged about sysprep-ing a Windows Server 2008 R2 image. I was setting up a Windows Server 2008 cluster between multiple Hyper-V images. You can find that blog here;

This time I am setting up a Windows Server 2003 cluster between multiple Hyper V images and had to sysprep a Windows Server 2003 image. So here are some tips about that:

By default, the Windows Server 2003 OS installation will not have sysprep tool installed. I faintly remember reading about NEWSID tool which has been pulled off by Microsoft. So there were two options in front of me:

– Get the NEWSID tool from somewhere (will not be supported by Microsoft)

– Find the Windows Server 2003 specific sysprep.exe

Upon a search, I came across this: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14830, which is a sysprep tool for Windows Server 2003 SP2, but I needed the one for Windows Server 2003 ‘R2’ S2. Well, this one might work for your installation; it did not for me. So where is the OS specific sysprep.exe?

Explore the installation media of Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2. In the root, you will find a folder by the name of Support. This folder has a file called deploy.cab. Extract the content of this cab file and you will see a file called sysprep.exe. – Use that as that is your OS specific sysprep.exe.

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Amit R S Bansal leads the SQL & BI practice at SQLMaestros.com (unit of eDominer) with a focused team providing consulting, training, content development & SQL support services to more than 120+ SQL Server customers globally. He holds a Director position at eDominer Systems & Peopleware India. His sessions at TechED North America 2014, 2012 & TechED Europe 2013 were top-rated. Since 2002, he has worked on countless SQL Server projects, consulted, trained & mentored more than 6000 IT professionals on SQL Server. Amit is a SQL MCM, SQL MVP & MCT. He is also the founder of SQLServerGeeks.com. You can know more about him at www.amitbansal.net